Observing nature has gotten the biofuel industry far, and this new game changer is no different. In Denmark, observing nature has fueled University of Copenhagen’s researchers to try a reverse photosynthesis process that changes biomass into fuel using the sun’s energy. Reverse photosynthesis could be on its way to having fossil fuels run out of power.
Biomass are plants and plant remains that can be converted into fuel, however the process can be expensive and complicated. The Copenhagen Plant Science Center is looking to change that with this reverse photosynthesis technique. Its’ much cleaner and uses nature to fuel the process.
An enzyme (something that can speed up reactions between chemicals) called lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase is added to biomass, along with chlorophyll (the pigment in plants that make them green). Add a little sunlight and the sugar molecules in the biomass break down into chemicals that can be converted into fuel.
Many techniques of creating fuel from biomass are flawed because of the time it takes to convert the biomass into chemicals. With this reverse photosynthesis technique, it only takes 10 minutes of exposure to the sun for the chemicals to be produced. And where most production of other energy sources takes energy to produce energy, (a spark of electricity to get a wind turbine’s blades running, for example) all this takes is the sun.
Biomass are plants and plant remains that can be converted into fuel, however the process can be expensive and complicated. The Copenhagen Plant Science Center is looking to change that with this reverse photosynthesis technique. Its’ much cleaner and uses nature to fuel the process.
An enzyme (something that can speed up reactions between chemicals) called lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase is added to biomass, along with chlorophyll (the pigment in plants that make them green). Add a little sunlight and the sugar molecules in the biomass break down into chemicals that can be converted into fuel.
Many techniques of creating fuel from biomass are flawed because of the time it takes to convert the biomass into chemicals. With this reverse photosynthesis technique, it only takes 10 minutes of exposure to the sun for the chemicals to be produced. And where most production of other energy sources takes energy to produce energy, (a spark of electricity to get a wind turbine’s blades running, for example) all this takes is the sun.